Oklahoma!

Say the words "season opener" to many folks in the midsection of the country, and you're likely to get a rifle pointed in your face. In these parts, the phrase is generally reserved for the opening of fishing or hunting seasons, times which are observed with religious fervor by thousands of flannel- and camouflage-clad sportsmen. You got a set of hip-waders in the closet? We thought so!

This year, however, the term took on new meaning in Oklahoma City, as a herd of hot rods rolled 'cross the plains to attend the 20th Annual Southwest Street Rod Nationals, the '03 season opener for the National Street Rod Association. With nearly 2,000 rods on hand for the weekend of April 11-13, the scene was hard to miss. Finding cool cars at the Oklahoma State Fair Park was, quite literally, as easy as shooting ducks in a barrel.

We could blab on and on about the dozens of vendors, the swap meet, the NSRA Safety Team (which inspected a record 281 vehicles), or the excellent weather (sunny and 75 all weekend), but we know that it's the cars you want to see and read about. So let's get on with it and show off some of the spoils of our (photo) shooting expedition. Enjoy!